Maintenance guide

As a tenant, you have certain obligations towards the maintenance of your rental property. Keeping small considerations in mind will stop small issues becoming big problems, so please read through our maintenance guide below - and do get in touch if you have any questions relating to your property. As a tenant, you have certain obligations towards the maintenance of your rental property. Keeping small considerations in mind will stop small issues becoming big problems, so please read through our maintenance guide below - and do get in touch if you have any questions relating to your property.

General Cleaning

A strong cleaning regime is the cornerstone of a pleasant property, and we advise all tenants to maintain their house or flat’s cleanliness throughout their stay. Particularly in London, a clean property goes a long way to avoiding the potential for rodents, insects or mould from appearing in your property.

Kitchen

Your oven, hob and extractor fan can quickly become dirty if not kept in check. Oil, food residue, liquids and general kitchen dirt can build up on all three and become more and more difficult to remove as time goes by. Make sure you regularly wipe, scour and thoroughly clean your oven set-up to avoid unpleasant meal times and a big cleaning job further down the line.

Lights, electronics and key fobs

As a tenant of a property, you are responsible for the upkeep of the electric items within your property. These include smoke alarms, which should be tested and checked for battery levels regularly, and light bulbs, which should be replaced when required for aesthetic and safety reasons. We recommend using energy saving light bulbs for cost, duration and environmental reasons!

In some cases, your property may be entered by an electronic fob and have an electric doorbell - both of which should be checked and batteries replaced when required.

Condensation (and damp)

It is important for tenants to learn the difference between damp and condensation. Damp is a serious issue that should and will be resolved quickly and efficiently by landlords working with Austin D’Arcy.

Condensation, unlike damp, can often cause interior mould when moist air condenses on walls and floors within the property. Condensation can be combated easily if you follow the HIVE principles - heating, insulation, ventilation and extraction - particularly in older properties.

The following practical steps will help you decrease the chances of interior mould through condensation:

- Make sure your home remains warm, even when you are not in the building.- Keep your windows open to ventilate the property when possible. - Remove visible excess moisture from surfaces when spotted.- Turn on your kitchen or bathroom’s extractor fan when you are creating steam through cooking or showering, and leave it on for 15 minutes after you have finished. Close the doors leading to cooler rooms where the moisture can condense more easily. - In the absence of a washer/dryer, dry your clothes outside. If you aren’t able to put your washing outside make sure that any windows or doors are open and your available ventilation channels are switched on (extractor fans).- Mould thrives where air cannot move freely, so make sure your clothes; furniture and general storage cupboards are not packed to the brim.

Garden and outside area maintenance

If you are lucky enough to have a garden or outside area (such as a terrace, patio or balcony), then you must ensure you maintain it while you are in residence.

Failing to maintain the garden will cause it to become overgrown, dirty, and a hotbed for insect and animal life. To avoid pests and a lengthy gardening process down the line, we advise keeping the garden in the state that you received it - and enjoying it the year round!